Judy Oakenfull makes contemporary landscape and botanical paintings stemming from her experiences with the local environment. Recently, coastal landscapes close to her home in Northern NSW have become a focus. After spending time with these sites, she uses observation, intuition and imagination to interpret her experience into painterly form. In doing so she also processes ideas and concerns about our wider cultural relationship to natural places. This results in dreamlike imaginative landscapes, evocative seascapes and empathic botanical works.  

There are links in the work to a romantic tradition where nature is idealised and paradise sought, but there is also a tension between the natural ideal that we yearn for, and a more challenging ecological reality. Various symbolic means may be employed to suggest either the complex histories of places or their contemporary ecological challenges. Colour may be more or less than natural and shapes may suggest imperfect human interventions in nature. However the symbolism, form and colour may also hint at positive human intervention and care for these places. Some of the sites she depicts have been restored by, or are cared for by local indigenous people and Landcare groups. There is a metamodern sensibility to the work as she mediates complex ecological issues with hope. Restoration, balance and reconnection are still possible.

Bio

Born in Wangaratta, Australia, Judy Oakenfull studied Visual Art for one year at Box Hill Tafe, before gaining entry into The Victorian College of the Arts and completing a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting). Highlights from this time include being a finalist in the Wallara traveling art prize, winner of the Stella Dilger Award and receiving a special mention in the  Victorian Campus art prize.

She then continued informal art education in Tokyo for 2 years getting well acquainted with traditional and contemporary Japanese aesthetics and approaches. Her work at this time focused on urban corners and natures impact on cultural forms.

In 2007 she relocated to Northern NSW where she became involved in the Murwillumbah Community Printmakers and the Murwillumbah Art Trail. She continued her painting study with renowned local artists, and has exhibited widely in group and solo exhibitions. Her work was highly commended in the Border art prize in 2013 and she has been a finalist in several other prizes. In 2020 she had a successful solo exhibition at the Tweed Regional Art Gallery and Margaret Olley centre. Judy Oakenfull currently has work at Anthea Polson Art and Pack Gallery Studio. She had Solo Exhibition at Anthea Polson Art, ‘Wild Coast’ in October 2022

CONTACT: joak234@hotmail.com

CV

Education

2001 Bachelor of Fine Art, Painting Victorian College of the Arts
1994 Associate Diploma of Fine Art (1st year) Boxhill Tafe

Solo Exhibitions

2023 Sitting by the Ocean, Hanging Out with Plants, OneB Gallery, Murwillumbah

2022 Wild Coast, Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast

2020     Floral Appreciation Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley

Centre, Murwillumbah

2018     An exhibition of four local Artists M-Arts – Murwillumbah

2017    Nature Portraits Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina (October)

2009    Human Natures CPM Gallery, Murwillumbah

2006    Unrennovation Red Gallery, Contemporary Art Space,

Nth Fitzroy, Melbourne

Group Exhibitions

2022 Madrigal Smallworks Gallery, Murwillumbah

2021 Bloom Weswal Gallery, Tamworth 2020

2020.      Ordinary Love, The Field ARI @ M|arts, Murwillumbah

2020.      Hello Again, Lennox Art Collective, Lennox Head

2019       Facade, Tweed Regional Gallery, Downtown, Murwillumbah

2019 .     In situ, M-arts, Murwillumbah

2017       The Flower Show M-Arts, Murwillumbah

2016       Botanicus Murwillumbah Art Trail, Murwillumbah

2015       Arts Northern Rivers Pop-up Tweed, Murwillumbah

2015       Murwillumbah Art Trail Prospero Street Pop – up

2009      Soft Landing Murwillumbah Community Printmakers Gallery

2008      The Door Snake Project Platform Artist Group. Degraves St Subway,

Melbourne.

2006         Nicholas: The life of a Building, Blindside Artist Run Space,

Nicolas Buiding, Melbourne

2005         Inaugral exhibition Pigment Gallery, Nicholas Building, Melbourne

2001       Graduate Exhibition, Victorian College of the Arts, Southbank

2001         Wallara Travelling Scholarship, Finalists exhibition.

V.C.A. Gallery, Southbank

2001          Sources and Resources V.C.A. Student Gallery, Southbank

2000          For real, V.C.A Student Gallery, Southbank.

1999          Fringe Festival Architecture Launch, “City Consumptions Pty Ltd

Preformance/Installation.  North Melbourne Town Hall,

North Melbourne.

1999          Site Specific, “80” Installation, Langridge Street Collingwood.

1997         “Matters”, Solo Painting show at ‘Gluttony’.Collingwood.

Awards

2020 Finalist BAM Art Prize, Northern NSW

2019       Finalist Lethbridge 20000 Art Award,

2018        Finalist BAM Art Prize, Byron Bay

2018. Finalist Gallery 7 Art Prize

2017         Finalist 30 x 30 Art Prize. Art Piece Gallery

2015         Finalist Border Art Prize. Tweed Regional Gallery

2013         Highly Commended, Border Art Prize

2001         Stella Dilger Award. V.C.A.

2001         Finalist Wallara Travelling Scholarship

2000         Special Mention, “Victorian Campus Art Prize”